pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension may be a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries within the lungs and the right side of the heart.

Pulmonary hypertension side effects include:

1. Shortness of breath, while exercising and eventually at rest.
2. Blue or gray skin color because of low oxygen levels. Depending on your skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see.
3. Chest pain or pressure.
4. Dizziness or fainting spells.
5. Quick pulse or pounding heartbeat.
6. Fatigue.
7. Swelling within the ankles, legs and belly area.

Treatment

If you're diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, your specialist will decide your treatment plan based on the cause of disease, in case it is known. Your specialist will suggest the best management plan for you.

Healthy lifestyle changes

Depending on the cause of your pulmonary hypertension, your specialist may recommend healthy lifestyle changes.

1. Heart-healthy eating: It incorporates eating less salt, to lower blood pressure or cholesterol in case high levels of these contributed to the cause of your pulmonary hypertension. Eating less salt will help in controlling your body fluids and may make enhance heart function.
2. Physical activity: This will be supervised through an exercise program such as pulmonary rehabilitation.

Medicine

Medicines to treat pulmonary hypertension may include:

1. Anticoagulation or blood thinners to prevent blood clots in people whose pulmonary hypertension is caused by chronic blood clots in the lungs.
2. Digitalis or digoxin to control the rate blood is pumped throughout the body.
3. Vasodilator therapy to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure in the pulmonary artery most affected in people who have pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Procedures and therapies

Your specialist may recommend a procedure, surgery, or treatment to treat pulmonary hypertension.

1. Oxygen therapy if oxygen levels within the blood are too low.
2. Balloon atrial septostomy to minimise pressure within the right heart chambers and enhance the output of the left heart and oxygenation of the blood.
3. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty to lower the blood pressure in your pulmonary artery and improve heart function in individuals who cannot have a pulmonary endarterectomy.
4. Pneumonic endarterectomy surgery to eliminate blood clots from the inside of the blood vessels of the lungs.